What IS Choi Kwang Do?

Does anyone on this site have any experience with Choi Kwang Do? I'm given to understand that it's a martial art that resembles TKD with boxing hands and stresses safety above all, meaning that they don't spar in any way and don't extend their kicks and punches all the way to save wear and tear on the joints. What are your thoughts on it? It's supposed to be fairly large in the US and UK.

Choi Kwang Do is something that belongs firmly in the stable of Snap!, Streetfighter 2 and Gulf War 1 - it was pretty huge around 1989-91, but since then has been superceded by bigger and better things.

Actually, CKD has evolved a bit from what I believe most of you have experienced it as. Grandmaster Choi has recently released a book, and within it are several additions, such as close range defense. It teaches both how to fight a grappler using strikes, as well as going briefly into grappling back when necessary. Also, the idea of 'no sparring' in CKD: this is an oversimplification and can be taken completely wrong. Yes, CKD does away with tournaments and, for the most part, outright sparring. The reasons for this are more complex than simply 'someone might get hurt'. Point sparring, with a few exceptions, can easily lead to someone wanting to 'tag' an opponent. This is fine for being on the floor, after all, if we were to go out there and beat the ---- outta everyone then it wouldn't do any good. However, when in a real situation, if what you've practiced is a quick tag then what you'll do is a quick tag, and nothing will piss off an opponent more. World class martial artists have lost bar fights because of this. CKD does have what we call 'equipment drills' as a mandatory part of both classes and testings. Students from yellow belt up put on gloves, boots, and shinguards (or just shin insteps), and practice various ways to defend against opponents. While self-control is for obvious reasons emphasized, we do not keep track of 'points' or declare winners or losers. Instead, the drill is meant solely to teach someone essential skills like footwork, area awareness, how to block and counterattack against a living, thinking, moving target, etc. Some schools will step it up a notch, including things like knife defense (fighting against a knife, not with a knife), full body suits so that students can learn to hit as hard as they can against a human, etc. Safety is an issue to be sure, but no more so than other schools that teach open hand sparring, pulled punches, etc. While Choi Kwang-Do does develop techniques with both safety and the longevity of the practicioner in mind, it also focuses largely on effectiveness and street reality. That's why you don't see too many 360 degree jump kicks or anything fancy like that till much, much later on.